"'Training Soldier Punishment Death' Commanders Repeatedly Attempt Settlement with Fellow Victims"

Survival Trainee Who Received Punishment Together During Incident
Public Defender Dismissed... Firm Response Without Agreement

Regarding the death of a recruit in the Army's 12th Division, the company commander (captain) of the unit, accused of conducting disciplinary training (eolcharyeo) in violation of regulations, is heading to the courtroom to attend the pre-trial detention hearing held on June 21 at the Chuncheon District Court in Gangwon Province.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

It has been revealed that the company commander and deputy company commander, who were arrested and prosecuted for the 'military discipline training (commonly known as Eolcharyeo) death' incident that occurred in the Army's 12th Division, attempted to settle by offering several million won to the trainees who were subjected to Eolcharyeo together at the time of the incident. In response, the abused trainee has taken a tough stance, including dismissing the public defender.

According to the Military Human Rights Center on the 10th, trainee A (currently a private first class), who received Eolcharyeo along with the deceased trainee Park, recently dismissed the public defender and appointed lawyer Kang Seok-min, who is representing the bereaved family of trainee Park under the counseling support of the Military Human Rights Center, as the new legal representative.

The day before the incident, trainee A was reprimanded by Deputy Company Commander Nam (25, lieutenant) without any particular reason and the next day, along with trainee Park and four others, received harsh Eolcharyeo that violated regulations. Due to this, trainee A was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by a psychiatrist. On August 27, trainee A testified about the PTSD diagnosis and the situation at the time of the incident as a witness in the second trial of the abuse resulting in death and abuse of authority charges against Company Commander Kang (27, captain) and Deputy Company Commander Nam.

"Causing the trainee's death and not paying a proper price"... Refusal to settle

After the incident, it is reported that the perpetrators repeatedly demanded settlements from five surviving trainees, including trainee A. The public defender, who represents all the surviving trainees as victims, visited trainee A for the first time on the day of the second trial on August 27 before his testimony and conveyed that the perpetrators were requesting a settlement, but trainee A refused, stating that "talking about a settlement without even receiving an apology is inappropriate."

The perpetrators offered settlement amounts of 3 million won from the company commander and 5 million won from the deputy company commander through the victims' public defender, but trainee A, who still has not received a proper apology, did not accept this. Trainee A's side decided to dismiss the public defender, who had been mechanically conveying the perpetrators' settlement demands, and appoint a new legal representative so that the perpetrators, who caused trainee Park's death through abuse and have not paid a proper price, can be held accountable appropriately.

Meanwhile, the next trial for the perpetrators is scheduled to be held at 2 p.m. on the 11th at the Chuncheon District Court.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.